Month: August 2024

An updated version of what critics refer to as the AI censorship bill, Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act (NO FAKES Act) has been introduced by senators Chris Coons, a Democrat, and Republican Marsha Blackburn.

The goal of the bill – that first saw the light of day last October as a discussion draft – is to ban what it calls unauthorized digital replicas while providing exemptions for parody, satire, use in documentaries, and other forms of generated content that should fall under the fair use rule.

The entertainment industry is happy with the legislative proposal, with support pouring in from Disney, the Motion Picture Association, Recording Industry Association of America, SAG-AFTRA, agencies, and more.

SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild), which wants a likeness act at the federal instead of the state level as is the case now, backed the bill, mentioning the need to protect intellectual property and performers’ likenesses and brands.

We obtained a copy of the bill for you here.

But prominent digital rights group, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), is unconvinced that these exemptions will work in real life, and fears that the bill, if passed, will result in limiting free speech.

The EFF noted that the House has its own version of the bill, called NO AI FRAUD, whereas Senate’s proposal – which explicitly refers to property rights (not protected by Section 230, and removed from the House bill) – would allow anyone to sue anybody else for creating their “digital replica” – i.e., a new, computer-generated image, voice or visual likeness.

The EFF doesn’t like this definition, calling it “broad,” while the right is given to people (that would be, celebrities), other holders of rights to their likeness, heirs 70 years after their death, but also retroactively, to those who have already died.

That the bill ultimately has to do with money (hence such enthusiasm in the entertainment industry) is one thing – but its potential to at the same time provide another avenue for undermining speech is another.

The EFF sums up one of its misgivings, over the bill’s exemptions, as not being overly meaningful – “if you have to pay a lawyer to figure out if they apply to you, and then try to persuade a rightsholder to agree.”

The post AI Censorship Bill Raises Free Speech Concerns appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) is furthering its mission to counteract Big Tech’s stranglehold on speech by starting to rollout its new TV streaming service, Truth+. Committed to reinstating the public’s voice and freedom on the internet, TMTG already operates Truth Social, a platform specifically designed to offer refuge from the prevailing climate of censorship enforced by major tech conglomerates.

The rollout of Truth+ marks TMTG’s expansion into streaming media. The transition began with the migration of its beta streaming from Truth Social to a newly-established content delivery network (CDN). This initial rollout phase will first make streaming accessible via the web to all users, with subsequent availability on Android and iOS platforms expected.

Following a test of the CDN’s implementation, users will find a new Truth+ icon within the Truth Social app, providing direct access to the streaming service. This feature will allow viewers to consume content either through distinct channels or a picture-in-picture (PiP) mode while navigating the social platform. An update will be necessary for iOS users to access this service, while Android and web users can do so without additional downloads.

The streaming lineup will initially feature channels dedicated to news, commentary, weather, as well as lifestyle and entertainment, with plans to gradually include more programming and family-friendly material.

TMTG’s CEO, Devin Nunes, highlighted the company’s vision for a censorship-free media environment. “First, we created Truth Social to provide a safe harbor for free speech on the Internet,” Nunes remarked in a statement. “Now, we’re establishing a reliable home for great TV content that is neglected by the big corporations or is at risk of cancellation—and we are securing our own tech stack and hardware infrastructure to make our new CDN uncancellable. I look forward, in the near future, to launching many enhancements and adding great, new content to the platform.”

Future phases of Truth+ will introduce advanced streaming applications integrated with Truth Social, featuring an interactive 14-day electronic guide, instant catch-up TV, network DVR, video on demand, and capabilities for in-home TV streaming.

TMTG’s pioneering streaming technology is built on its own infrastructure, ensuring that it remains independent and resistant to suppression by Big Tech.

The post Trump Media’s New Truth+ Streaming Platform Takes Aim at Big Tech and Mainstream Media Control appeared first on Reclaim The Net.